Quarry Blast Reignites Elmhurst Controversy

January 23, 1993|By Neil H. Mehler.

Just when Du Page County officials thought they had defused objections about blasting in the Elmhurst stone quarry as part of a major flood control project, another detonation has produced a flurry of complaints from nearby residents.

The county bought the quarry last year to use as a flood basin under a contract that required the seller, Elmhurst-Chicago Stone Co., to perform $3.1 million in cleanup work. This includes blasting out 700 acre-feet of rock to provide water storage space, part of the ultimate 8,300-acre-foot capacity of the twin-pit facility.

County officials said that while there was no danger to nearby residents and homes from the blast at 4 p.m. Thursday, the atmospheric conditions at the time were such that the noise of the explosion was magnified. They said low clouds and fog in the area were factors that "pushed" the noise of the explosion sideways into nearby residential areas instead of dispersing upward.

Elmhurst and county officials said they received numerous calls Thursday and Friday about the blast.

Elmhurst Ald. Norman T. Reinertsen (1st) said he has asked Edward A. Merkel and Olivia G. Gow, County Board members from Elmhurst, to investigate the situation.

The county said blasting in the quarry would continue for about a year and had earlier worked out a lower-intensity blasting plan that officials said they hoped would eliminate citizen complaints about noise and dust pollution.